


All That I've Got

by Phia



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen, Regional At Best era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-09
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-04-03 15:12:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4105501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phia/pseuds/Phia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh digs his fingers into the seat in front of him. “Tyler,” he snaps again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All That I've Got

**Author's Note:**

> I was sad last night so I wrote this. Title from "Doubt" <3  
> Let me know if you liked it!

They’re in the same seat at the back of the van. One of Josh’s friend’s friends has agreed to drive them to the concert venue just an hour away. They’re going to sleep a little in the parking lot before the place opens.

Josh looks at Tyler through thin strands of brown hair. Tyler hasn’t slept in days. He passes his right index finger over the skin on the side of his left forearm. Over and over again.

“Tyler,” Josh says. Tyler looks out the window, the rain hitting the glass like streams of translucent confetti.

Josh looks out the other window, to his right. The van is smooth down the road, despite the downpour outside. The driver is silent, earbuds in, probably not listening to Twenty One Pilots.

Josh digs his fingers into the seat in front of him. “Tyler,” he snaps again. 

Tyler blinks, but he still doesn’t look at Josh. Tyler says his name once.

“Are you okay?” Josh asks. His fingernails leave indents in the seat’s upholstery.

Tyler nods once. Josh doesn’t know what he can do now. This happens sometimes  _before_ \- the tenseness like a monster latching onto Tyler’s form. Gnawing at the skin on his shoulders, mouthing at his neck and ear, tongue flickering as it whispers things.

At least, that’s how Josh sees it sometimes. He looks up ahead at the windshield. The van is veering closer to an exit.

“We’re almost there,” Josh says. He doesn’t fully understand why, but he sees his own hand reaching out, placing itself on Tyler’s shoulder. His fingers curl around the hoodie that Tyler is wearing.

“Yeah,” Tyler says after a beat. He relaxes into Josh’s clutch and they stare at the rain together.

“Why does it always rain?” Tyler asks, voice trembling. Josh’s hand tugs at the fabric of Tyler’s hoodie and he knows better than to look at him.

The highway is bordered by thick patches of pine trees. There are barely any other cars on it. Josh wonders what will happen at the venue. He doesn’t want Tyler to stare at everything, hand on his neck as he stands back and watches everything in front of him move.

When Tyler stops, it’s such a frightening thing.

Josh says, “I don’t know,” and Tyler says, “I don’t know either.” 

Tyler has had his hands buried in the pockets of his too-large grey hoodie. Now he sits them on his lap. His fingers are twitching. Josh uses his other hand and clasps Tyler’s. His skin is cold and his palm is clammy. 

Josh entwines their fingers. Tyler huffs out a breath of air, releasing a little cloud that slowly dissipates.

“I’m really tired,” Josh says suddenly, and then he freezes, because he should probably keep quiet at this time, he should -

“Me too,” Tyler says, and then yawns. Josh chuckles, releasing Tyler and just grabbing him, pulling him closer and letting his arm swing over Tyler’s shoulders.

Josh pushes the pad of his index finger into Tyler’s right temple. Tyler sighs and lets his eyes close. Josh pretends that anything negative from Tyler flows through from his brain all through Josh’s finger and hand, climbs up his arm and roots in his brain instead.

While Tyler is miming sleep, it’s easier to attempt. Josh closes his eyes for a moment as well, letting himself relax into the gentle sway of the van, the pat of the rain on the windows. 


End file.
